Page 25 - GFA – A Different Drumbeat
P. 25
GFA – A Different Drumbeat 25
wear. Ts’ong Khaba is credited with being the innovator of those rites and
ceremonies of the Buddhlst ritual which bear such a strong resemblance to those of
the Roman Catholic Church, such as the use of acolytes, the lighting of candles, the
wearing of the mitre etc. There are some 5600 lamas and acolytes living in this
monastery town. They are ruled by a Living Buddha, the re-incarnation of Ts’ong
Khaba.
In The courtyard of the temple is the “Sacred Tree” which
Mr.W.W.Rockhill describes as a ”white sandal-wood". But of this tribe and its
legend I should have to talk another time.
For a brief time tonight I have companied with you, indulging myself in
the old man’s recreation - daydreams. What the future may hold for each of us
only the Good God knows but the past is ours and none can take it from us or
destroy that which has been written on the memory of the heart.
"The Loving finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on; nor all your Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all your tears wash out a Word of it.”-
It is not hard to imagine how GFA’s listeners in 1950 must have been held enthralled by
every sentence that he so descriptively presented at that talk. It is easy to glean some
insights into GFA’s character and talents from this talk.
For instance, as a new missionary, he did not hesitate to participate in the life and culture of
the local people. Because of this attitude, he spent a lot of his time in extremely dangerous
situations, either from the altitude and weather, or from brigands and other groups fighting
each other for supremacy. He was quick to pick up the local language and dialects. In fact
his skill in the Chinese language was so accomplished that in later years he was called on
by important officials to interpret for them. In a 1950 summary of his life and service there
is the following entry:
12th December 1950. Languages English - read write and speak fluently. Chinese
- read and speak fluently all northern dialects. Writing weak.
He enjoyed and appreciated the beauty and grandeur of the high country in which he was
working. Little wonder that in 1912, possibly due to his meetings with Pereira, Rock and
wear. Ts’ong Khaba is credited with being the innovator of those rites and
ceremonies of the Buddhlst ritual which bear such a strong resemblance to those of
the Roman Catholic Church, such as the use of acolytes, the lighting of candles, the
wearing of the mitre etc. There are some 5600 lamas and acolytes living in this
monastery town. They are ruled by a Living Buddha, the re-incarnation of Ts’ong
Khaba.
In The courtyard of the temple is the “Sacred Tree” which
Mr.W.W.Rockhill describes as a ”white sandal-wood". But of this tribe and its
legend I should have to talk another time.
For a brief time tonight I have companied with you, indulging myself in
the old man’s recreation - daydreams. What the future may hold for each of us
only the Good God knows but the past is ours and none can take it from us or
destroy that which has been written on the memory of the heart.
"The Loving finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on; nor all your Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all your tears wash out a Word of it.”-
It is not hard to imagine how GFA’s listeners in 1950 must have been held enthralled by
every sentence that he so descriptively presented at that talk. It is easy to glean some
insights into GFA’s character and talents from this talk.
For instance, as a new missionary, he did not hesitate to participate in the life and culture of
the local people. Because of this attitude, he spent a lot of his time in extremely dangerous
situations, either from the altitude and weather, or from brigands and other groups fighting
each other for supremacy. He was quick to pick up the local language and dialects. In fact
his skill in the Chinese language was so accomplished that in later years he was called on
by important officials to interpret for them. In a 1950 summary of his life and service there
is the following entry:
12th December 1950. Languages English - read write and speak fluently. Chinese
- read and speak fluently all northern dialects. Writing weak.
He enjoyed and appreciated the beauty and grandeur of the high country in which he was
working. Little wonder that in 1912, possibly due to his meetings with Pereira, Rock and
